Armstrong



(No Model.) 23hets-Sheet 1.

J. B. ARMSTRONG, Deod.

R TORRANGE Admmlstrator 3 w G m r R 3 E 1 P M m E T h m d A w n mum; m n m m T A ,HL .uD; m m ms S Du O F S W M M A H 9 9 A 4 0 N,

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. B. ARMSTRONG, Decd.

R. TORRANGE, Adminigforator. APPARATUS FOR SHAPING, HARDENING, AND TEMPERING STEEL PLATES, &c.

No. 499,368. Patented June 13, 1893.

m: uonms PETERS c0 PHOTO-LUNG WASHJNGTOQLB. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BELMOR ARMSTRONG, OF GUELPH, CANADA; ROBERT TORRANOE ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID ARMSTRONG, DECEASED.

APPARATUS FOR SHAPING, HARDENING, AND TEMPERlNG STEEL PLATES, &c-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,368, dated June 13, 1893.

Application filed April 19, 1892. Serial No. 429,699. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:'

Be it known that I, JOHN BELMOR ARM- STRONG, a subject of the Queen of Great Britaln, residing at the city of Guelph, in the county of Wellington, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Shaping, Hardening, and Tempering Steel Plates, 850.; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of the shaping apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sldeelevation of the same, the hardening tank in section to show the mechanism for recelving the plate and uniformly delivering the plate to the hardening bath. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective View of the truck. Fig. A is a sectional view of the tank with elevation of the hoist and carrier, embracing the mechanism for conveying the plates from the hardening tank to the tempering ovens, and Flg. 5 is a view of the end of the tempering oven the left hand door being removed.

Like symbols refer to like parts-wherever they occur.

My invention relates to the construction and arrangement of apparatus for shaping, hardening, and tempering metal plates, and though of general utility for all classes of plates, has been especially devised for the shaping, hardening and tempering of carrlage springs, which require to be very uniform in character.

It is a well recognized fact that in bending and hardening metals, in order to obtain the best results, it is desirable not to heat the metal above the temperature required for bending the same; and, where uniform results are desirable the several plates or pieces, should be immersed in the hardening bath in as nearly the same position or manner as possible.

The objects of the present invention are, therefore, to produce a machine adapted to automatically effect the steps of bending and immersing the plate or like article, so as to avoid'the loss of time and heat incident to the present methods and apparatus employed.

To this end, the main feature of my invention embraces the combination with bending mechanism and the hardening tank of interposed mechanism adapted to automatically transfer the article from the bender to the bath.

A secondary feature embraces the combination with the bath or tank and carrier for conveying the articles to the tempering ovens of an interposed hoist.

There are other features of invention relating to particular features of construction and specific combinations, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A,indicates the bed of the bending machine supported by posts a, a or otherwise arranged so that a hardening tank H, may be placed below or in suitable relation to the formers thereon. J ournaled in boxes on the frame or bed A, is a crank shaft B,provided with one half I) of aclutch adapted to engage the other half 0 thereof, the said half 0, being attached to or formed with a band wheel 0, loosely journaled on the crank shaft and by means of which the power is intermittently applied to said crank shaft. A ratchet spring b is provided which engages the clutch section b, and arrests the crank when at the extremity of its backward stroke.

B indicates a suitable treadle for controlling the sliding clutch section b.

D, indicates a ram which moves in guides D, D on the frame or bed A, said ram being adjustably connected with the crank shaft B by right and left hand threaded sections (1, d, and similarly threaded collar 01 which form a turn-buckle attachment between said parts.

Secured to the ram D is one section E of the former or shaping mechanism and adj ustably secured to the bed or .frame A of the machine is the other section E, of'said former, or shaping mechanism the bed A being slotted as at F to permit the escape of the bent plate or other article on the recession of section E. Adj ustably secured to the bed A, at each end of the section E of the former or shaping immerses it in the bath. Said mechanism is preferably a rock-shaft F, provided with a series of fingers f f f, and at one end with a crank arm F at a suitableangle to said fingers and connected with a second rock-shaft F by a rod or link f, the rock-shaft F being in turn provided with acrank arm f and connected with the ram D by a toggle f (shown in dotted lines Fig. 2) or in any other suitable manner, which will cause the said fingers f to rise with the advance and drop with the recession of the ram D.

The hardening tank II is provided, on that part of its bottom which is beneath the bed A of the machine, with a track h for the reception of a truck G, and also with an inclined guide 72/, which extends downward in a plane parallel with the plane of the fingers fff, when the latter are in their lowest position (see Fig. 2), and the end of said tank H, which extends beyond the side of bed A, is

provided with a hoist or lift I, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

G indicates a truck adapted to travel on the track 72. in the tank H. The bed or frame of said truck is composed of two parts g and g, one of which is hinged at one side so that it can be raised on an inclination in line with the fingers ff f, and parallel with the guide h (see Fig. 2), and in order to secure it in said position, a catch 9 is provided which may be located either on the under side of bed A, or on the tank H, as preferred. The part g thus becomes a movable incline adapted to receive the article from the transfer mechanism F,fff, and when full to be lowered into a horizontal position and transferred from beneath the guide h to the hoist I and thence to the carrier K.

Arranged in one end of the tank II is a lift or hoist I, the lower rails of which form a continuation of track h when the lift is in its lowest position. Arranged in line with the lift is a suitable overhead track on which travel the wheels is from which is suspended a suitable carrier K, having rails 70 70 &c., at different heights corresponding to the number of trucks the height of the tempering oven will admit.

Any well known arrangement of tracks,

rangement with the rails 70, 70 850., of the carrier.

In order to keep the oil or other hardening bath in tank H, cool or at an even temperature, and thus aid in producing uniform results, I cause the same to circulate through a coil L (see Fig. 4), immersed in a tank M, of running water, and if desired,the circulation may be forced by means of any of the Well known forms of pump, and a low temperature maintained by equally well known refrigerants.

' The apparatus, being constructed and arranged, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, will operate as follows: The plate to be shaped, hardened, and tempered (which in the present instance is shown as a spring .9) is heated but little if any above the temperature required to harden it, and is then placed in the supports d. The treadle B is depressed by the foot of the operator which causes the clutch section b to engage clutch section 0 on the band wheel 0 and impart anad vance movement to the ram D and attached former section E of the shaping mechanism. The foot is immediately withdrawn from the treadle which causes the spring dog I) to arrest the ram onits reverse movement or when it is at the extremity of its backward travel. When the ram D and its former section E, advances, as before specified, it bends and shapesthe article 8 and in so doing pushes its ends oif the supports. This advance movement of the former section E and ram D has through the toggle f 3 (see dotted line Fig. 2), rock-shaft F and link or rodf actuated rock-shaft F so as to bring the fingers f f f, up into the position shown in Fig. 1, and the reverse motion of the ram D which releases the article sand permits it to fall on fingers f f f, causes the return movement or dropping of said fingers to the position shown in Fig. 2, thus delivering the article on the} inclined hinged frame 9' of truck G, beneath the guide h'which causes every article ,thus delivered to enter the hardening bath in the same position and manner. The whole operation of bending and hardening being automatic and so rapid that there is no appreciable loss of heat by the article between the heating furnace and the bath. When the hinged frame g of the truck has been filled, the truck is pushed to the end of the track and upon the lift I (see Fig. 4:) and is then raised out of the bath and allowed to drip until the next truck is filled, after which it is run upon the upper rail of carrier 70 The succeeding truck having been filled is in turn allowed to drip and is then transferred to the next rail 70 of the carrier, and so on until the carrier is full, when it is run along the track to the oven 0, the tracks 70, 70 &c., of the carrier brought in line with the ledges 0, 0 &c., of the oven 0 and the trucks pushed into the oven. When the tempering oven 0 is filled it is closed and the temperature of the oven is maintained at; the required heat to temper the springs or other articles in the usual manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In apparatus for shaping and hardening metals, the combination with shaping mechanism, and a hardening bath arranged beneath said shaping mechanism, of interposed vibratory transfer'fingers, and means for actuating said fingers; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In an apparatus for shaping and hardening metals, the combination with shaping mechanism having a movable section and means for actuating it, and a hardening bath, of interposed transfer mechanism,and means for actuating the transfer mechanism from the movable section of the shaping mechanism; substantially as and for. the purposes specified.

3. In apparatus for hardening and'tempering metal, the combination with shaping mechanism having a movable section, and means for actuating it, of an interposed adjustable connection, a hardening bath, transfer mechanism interposed between the shaping mechanism and the bath, and means for actuating the transfer mechanism from the movable section of the shaping mechanism; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In apparatus for shaping and hardening metal, the combination with shaping mechanism having a fixed section E and a movable section E, of supports for the article to be operatedon,said supports arranged at the ends of the sections, and a hardening bath arranged beneath the shaping mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In apparatus for shaping metals, the combination with shaping mechanism, of a rockshaft provided with fingers which extend beneath the shaping mechanism and receive the article when released thereby; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In apparatus for shaping and hardening metals, the combination with shaping mechanism and a hardening bath or tank, of a truck adapted to travel in the tank, and in terposed transfer mechanism for receiving the article operated on and delivering it to the truck; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. In apparatus for shaping and hardening metal, the combination with shaping mechanism and a hardening bath or tank, of a movable incline arranged in the tank, and interposed transfer mechanism; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

8. In apparatus for shaping and hardening metal, the combination with shaping mechanism and a hardening bath or tank, of a receiving incline within the tank, a guide above the incline, and transfer mechanism interposed between the former and the incline; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

9. In apparatus for shaping and hardening metal, the combination with shaping mechanism and a bath or tank, of a truck adapted to travel in the tank and provided with a pivoted frame, means for holding the pivoted frame of the truck in an inclined position, and a rock-shaft arranged beneath the former and provided with transfer fingers; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

10. In apparatus for shaping and hardening metal, the combination with shaping mechanism, of a rock-shaft arranged beneath the same and provided with transfer fingers, a tank arranged beneath the transfer fingers,a truck adapted to travel in the tankand provided with a movable frame, and a guide arranged in the tank, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

11. In apparatus for shaping and hardening metal, the combination with shaping mechanism, of a hardening bath or tank, interposed transfer mechanism, a truck adapted to travel in the tank, a carrier for conveying the articles to a tempering oven, and a hoist interposed between the tank and the carrier; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

12. In apparatus for shaping and hardening metal, the combination with shaping mechanism, of a hardening tank, having a refrigerating coil connected therewith, a truck adapted to travel in the hardening tank, transfer 7 mechanism interposed between the shaping mechanism and the tank, and a hoist arranged in or over the tank; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 18th day of 1VIarch,l892.

JOHN BELMOR ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses:

HUGH McMILLAN, J. S. MCKAY.

ICO 

